Westmoreland House Memorial Print

The Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft would like to invite you to the launch of a very special poster. In celebration of the history of the Bristol alternative icon that is Westmoreland House, a series of limited edition, hand finished screen prints, is to be launched on Saturday the 10th of November (6pm-9.30pm). This print is also the first step in helping Stokes Croft take back control from the forces of gentrification, as the money raised from sales of the print will help fund the early stages of the setting up of Stokes Croft Land Trust.

The ‘In Loving Memory – Westmoreland House’ limited edition screen print was drawn by Bristol artist object… and printed in Stokes Croft by the PRSC, and depicts many aspects of the building’s history and use since its abandonment, and parts of many of the layers of graffiti which have built up on its walls.

As we look to the future, the replacement of Westmoreland House with a brand new development is itself representative of the gentrification of the area, and pushing out of the creative energy that made Stokes Croft one of the ‘trendiest places to live in the UK.’ The setting up of a land trust, to safeguard buildings and land that are community assets, is the only way we can see to hold back the tide of gentrification. Shares in Stokes Croft Land Trust (SCLT) would be issued to the community, and all property it held in trust would be protected for the benefit of the community in perpetuity. Money made from sales of the prints will help with the initial stages of creating the SCLT, allowing people to work on creating the necessary infrastructure to get it off the ground.